Quick Wins: Cybersecurity Scalable Solutions That Work

Cybersecurity is no longer a background concern for school districts—it’s a leadership priority that directly impacts instruction, operations, and trust.In this episode of the CoSN Podcast, we break down the webinar “Quick Wins: Cybersecurity Scalable Solutions for Districts of Any Size,” featuring district leaders Michael Arensdorff and Will Brackett from Oak Park Elementary School District 97.This session focuses on practical, high-impact strategies that districts can implement immediately—without waiting for additional resources or large-scale system overhauls. From securing administrative access to improving visibility and testing recovery plans, the conversation highlights what cybersecurity looks like when it’s embedded into daily district operations.Whether you’re leading a small rural district or a large urban system, this episode provides actionable insights to strengthen your cybersecurity posture right now.What You’ll LearnWhat “quick wins” in cybersecurity actually look like in a K–12 districtHow to reduce risk by focusing on high-impact, achievable actionsWhy visibility, access control, and system awareness are foundational to securityHow districts can shift from reactive responses to proactive planningThe role of leadership, culture, and staff behavior in strengthening cybersecurityKey TakeawaysStart where risk is highest: Securing administrative and privileged accounts delivers immediate impactYou can’t protect what you can’t see: Asset inventory and system visibility are criticalPreparation determines outcomes: Tested backups and recovery planning are essential—not optionalSmall actions matter: Incremental improvements can significantly reduce exposure and limit damageCybersecurity is a district-wide responsibility: Strong systems require leadership, communication, and culturePresenters Featured in This WebinarWilliam R. BrackettDirector of IT ServicesOak Park Elementary School District 97 (IL)Co-Chair, CoSN Cybersecurity Advisory CommitteeMichael Arensdorff, MAChief Technology OfficerOak Park Elementary School District 97 (IL)AssetsWatch the full webinar: Quick Wins: Cybersecurity Scalable Solutions for Districts of Any SizeThe Sessions Everyone Was Talking About Webinar SeriesMissed CoSN2025 in Seattle or couldn’t attend every session? Don’t worry—we’re bringing the most popular, standing-room-only presentations to you in a special webinar series. Learn from top EdTech leaders from across the country—no travel needed!Produced in partnership with⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠edCircuit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ CoSN is vendor-neutral and does not endorse products or services. Any mention of a specific solution is for contextual purposes. This episode was generated in part using AI tools. All content was reviewed and approved by CoSN and the edCircuit editorial team before publication.